For some, Patch Orchards in Lebanon, New Hampshire, is the place to pick your own apples. But it’s so much more. For Barb and Matt Patch, it’s a way of life, a promise to future generations, and a legacy. “My husband has worked on the farm his entire life,” Barb says. “I married him in ’83, so I’ve been here ever since.”

Today, that dedication spans eight generations of the Patch family, with a ninth waiting in the wings. After spending years away establishing careers, the couple’s three sons—Josh, Artie, and Cody—returned to the family business in 2020. “They wanted to raise their kids the way they were raised,” Barb says. “They’re the eighth generation. Their children will be the ninth.”

My, How You’ve Grown

To support four growing households, the family purchased 1,000 acres adjoining the original 300-acre farm. Along with enlarging the apple orchards, they diversified with Christmas trees, a farm stand, pick-your-own experiences, and a variety of seasonal offerings.

While Patch Orchards’ legacy began with apples, maple syrup is now its primary business. The farm’s 1,200-acre sugarbush contains thousands of maple trees that are tapped each spring. “We have 60,000 taps now,” Barb says proudly. Another 35 acres are devoted to apple trees. The farm also includes seasonal pumpkins, sweet corn, an eight-acre Christmas tree plantation, and an eight-acre corn maze. Together, they extend the farm’s season and opportunities for visitors. 

 

Oh, What Fun

Visitors can pick their own apples from August through October, although apples remain available into the Christmas season. Families spend the day exploring the corn maze, enjoying the playground, or relaxing on the lawn while taking in panoramic views stretching west toward Vermont. “We have quite a vista,” Barb says. “We can see five ski areas.”

The family farm stand offers apples and syrup, as well as maple candies, cider donuts, and soft-serve ice cream made with Patch maple syrup. And of course, throughout the harvest, carefully selected varieties of apples are pressed for fresh sweet cider. Barb rattles off the varieties as only someone in the apple business can: “We have Gala, Honeycrisp, Honey Gold, Fuji, KinderKrisp, McIntosh, Cortlands, Empires, Macouns, and Ida Reds. You don’t want just one variety in your cider.”

The farm also produces about 5,000 gallons of hard cider each year, including Mac N’ Ida, named for the McIntosh and Ida Red apples used in the blend. Canned Mac N’ Ida is sold in local markets.

 

A Legacy of Commitment

Although visitors often think of summer as a slower season, behind the scenes, it’s very busy for the family. “This is when they put in new sap lines,” Barb says of her sons. “They prune the Christmas trees. They planted 2,200 more Christmas trees. They planted 600 more apple trees.”

Rather than simply maintaining what previous generations built, the Patch family continues to expand the farm and create opportunities for future generations to remain and thrive on the land. For the family, that commitment is about far more than growing crops.

It’s about sustainability. “We think a lot about keeping the land open for agriculture,” she says. “It’s been done now for eight generations, and we’re preparing for the future.” She says she hopes visitors not only enjoy the Patch Orchards but also recognize the importance of supporting local farms before agricultural land disappears. “We’re trying to do our best to keep the land as productive and sustainable as we can.”

For more than 250 years, Patch Orchards has shaped both the northern New Hampshire landscape and the Patch family’s heritage. Every tree planted and every new venture strengthens that legacy. As the ninth generation begins to grow up among the apple trees and sugar maples, the Patch family isn’t simply expanding a business; they’re preserving a way of life and inviting others to enjoy the fruits of their labors. 

 

Patch Orchards

40 Patch Road

Lebanon, NH

(603) 448-4130

patchorchards.com